The Prodigal Son
by NightShade94
Summary: Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Lucas Taylor's jade eyes, accusing her, shocked that she, his Bucket, had deceived him.  Name changed from Redemption
1. Chapter 1

Skye trudged homeward, her shift over at the medic center, exhaustion seeping into her bones. It had been about four months since the Phoenix Group had left Terra Nova destroyed beyond recognition and the colonists who remained had thrown themselves into rebuilding their world.

She herself had been working non-stop, helping everyone however she could, whenever she could. Most of the people who knew of her part in all that had passed had forgiven her after learning of her reasons. But the truth remained that Commander Taylor could still barely stand to look her in the eye, and that she had a long way to go in terms of gaining everyone's trust. And so Skye worked herself sore every single day, desperately trying to redeem herself.

Elizabeth and Jim Shannon had taken her aside many a time and had insisted in that comforting way of theirs that she had no reason to stretch herself so thin. No reason at all. They had asserted multiple times that all was forgiven; that anybody would have done the same in her place. Lately even Mark and Maddy – the perpetually happy couple – had taken to joining her own personal shrink team.

What they didn't know – what she couldn't tell them – was that her betrayal to the colony, to Taylor, wasn't the only thing that made her itch for redemption. He wasn't the only person she had betrayed.

Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Lucas Taylor's jade eyes, accusing her, shocked that she, his Bucket, had deceived him. Chosen his father over him. The picture of him bleeding on the floor of the unforgiving jungle had robbed her of her sleep. She would wake up in the middle of the night, every night, calling out for him. And then, every night, she would get down on her knees and pray to any God that existed that if nothing else, Lucas's stubbornness would keep him alive.

This was ultimately the reason that she punished herself. The man had taken their home by force. He had led the enemy right into their world. He had killed Lieutenant Washington – a woman Skye had adored; the mother figure in her makeshift family with Commander Taylor – in cold blood. And yet she yearned to see him alive and well. Craved for him to touch her like he used to; so tenderly with just a hint of the raw power he bridled in just for her.

The guilt would be the death of her one day, of that she was certain. How could she take care of her pseudo father day after day, making sure that the façade he put on for the benefit of the colony didn't become a permanent part of the man, when she felt so much for the son who had destroyed him? The commander hadn't really recovered after Lieutenant Washington's death. The man had almost shut down, only mustering up enough emotion to inspire his people.

Skye had always had her suspicions about the relationship the two had, and now they had been confirmed. It made her heart bleed for the man who had taken her in as his own. He was the last person to deserve this. And yet, she couldn't find it in herself to hate or even condemn Lucas for all that he had done. She couldn't even think about what kind of person that made her.

With a sigh, she made her way into the cabin she shared with her mother. Between construction duty, her internship at the Medic Center and making sure both her hospitalized mother and Taylor were well taken care of was no easy task. Exhaustion wasn't a strong enough term for what she felt right then.

Moaning at the thought of sinking into her warm bed, Skye opened the door to her room and froze at the sight that met her; shock, fear, and joy warring for superiority within her.

"Hello Bucket."


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N : Here you go! A completely Lucas saturated chapter. Enjoy..**_

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><p>Lucas Taylor sat on her bed, elbows resting on his knees, leaning slightly forward to smirk up at her. His eyes didn't hold any of the warm, amused affection that she had seen coupled with the expression however. They were instead an almost emerald storm of fury and something else she couldn't exactly pinpoint.<p>

She looked him over from head to toe and was amazed to see that he looked the same as he always had; tanned, rugged and powerfully-built. There was no physical evidence – apart from the scars left by the bullet wounds that she knew he must have – to suggest that the man had spent any time recuperating from injury. Skye knew that she shouldn't be surprised. Lucas's mind was that of a genius, but he had the body of a warrior, a soldier. And like that of any soldier, his body had taken the pain that her hit had leveled on him and made it stronger.

"Disappointed to know you didn't hit your mark?" he leered up at her when she didn't respond in any way whatsoever, still looking as calm as ever. Skye knew him a lot better than perhaps anyone else however, and she knew that a calm Lucas was infinitely more dangerous than when he was enraged. Much as his fury terrified her, his cool, composed self scared her infinitely more. It meant that his brilliant mind was already a dozen moves ahead of her; that he would have a game plan ready to tackle any curveball she threw him. And that he would definitely have his way, by any means necessary.

"What are you doing here Lucas? Are you actively trying to get killed?" She couldn't believe him. Did the man have no sense of self preservation at all?

"Aw, how sweet is that. Didn't know you cared so much Bucket." He drawled.

"I'm serious Lucas! The guards will kill you!" Skye tried once again, to make him understand the gravity of the situation, hands flailing widely as she tried to make her point. All she was met with however, was a bark of mocking laughter that had no real humor behind it.

"What guards Bucket? The same ones who let me practically walk inside their precious Terra Nova? You underestimate me."

"Yes I do, don't I? After all, you're still alive." She hadn't meant to or wanted to say that, but his words had angered her, and she instinctively let the remark slip. She regretted it immediately though, when at her words, Lucas stiffened and what little humor that had lightened his eyes disappeared. He reminded her strongly of a feline then, poised to attack.

"Aah yes. I haven't forgotten about that, don't worry. But lucky for you, I find that I need you, so you are safe, for now." Like Commander Taylor, Lucas too had a way of putting slow emphasis on every word he spoke with that perfect diction, making sure to capture and hold the listeners attention. It only made the threat more real, more frightening and Skye's breathe quickened.

"What?" she gasped.

"Come now Bucket, surely you can't be that surprised. Isn't that the fundamental law my father imposes on you people? An eye for an eye; a life for a life. I'd say I'm _obligated_ to try to kill you." That deadly mocking glint was back in his eyes again, rendering his expression absolutely devilish.

"Shut up Lucas." She snapped, finally at the end of her tether.

"Careful Bucket... You seem to forget that you are at my mercy." He cautioned her laughingly, obviously amused.

"If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead." She stated flatly; no use hiding from the facts.

"Yes you would be." He agreed with her, nodding sagely. He was playing with her and was clearly enjoying it.

"What do you want from me Lucas?" Skye asked, too tired to play into his mind games.

"Now we're talking. I want you to come with me" He stated, still seated comfortably on her bed.

"Wait what? Why? No way!" his thinly veiled demand had unsettled her greatly, causing her thought processes to become verbal as they did whenever she was particularly flustered.

With a long suffering sigh, Lucas stood up from his position on her bed and stalked toward her. She froze, fear and attraction paralyzing her. He had always reminded her of a tiger on the prowl. So powerful so graceful and above all, so dangerous.

"It's adorable how you assume that you have a choice. You don't. Remember a conversation we had about a certain Shannon? I'm sure you wouldn't want him to have a freak accident during construction duty." he breathed in her ear seductively, making her shiver deliciously. He was standing so close to her now that she could feel the warmth emanating from his strong body; could smell the fresh all male scent that was entirely his. His words cut through the haze of attraction that had overtaken her mind. She did remember.

Skye took a gasping breathe as she realized that Lucas' hold over Terra Nova hadn't lessened at all. Josh was in very real danger, and the only way she could save him was by going back on any progress that she had made in redeeming herself in Commander Taylor's eyes. Her heart sank with the realization of what she must do.

"Good girl. I knew you would see things my way." Lucas drawled, reading her face correctly. "You should know that I'm sorry I have to do this."

His words barely registered with her nor did the slight prick on her upper arm.. Her mind was too busy pondering on why Lucas would want anything to do with her after she had shot him. Twice.

That was the last conscious though Skye had for a long time.

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><p>Her eyelids felt heavy and her body, especially her back was a little sore. With what seemed like herculean effort, Skye opened her eyes just enough to get a rough picture of her surroundings.<p>

Green. Bright.

Forcing her eyes fully open, Skye was met with the sight of a concerned Lucas Taylor. Worry darkened his sea-green eyes and made them even more captivating. Never having seen that particular expression in those eyes, Skye looked away, uncomfortable. From her peripherals, she could see Mira leaning uninterestedly against a railing.

Ah crap. She was in the Sixers camp.

Sitting up with a wince, she realized that she had been laid down upon the Sixer version of a bed, high up in one of their tree houses. Her mind was momentarily distracted with figuring out how exactly it was that they had hauled her up there. On second thought, she decided that she probably didn't want to know.

"Bucket?" Lucas's voice was uncharacteristically soft and it jolted her out of her wonderings.

"Lucas… Why am I here?"

"Well hello Florence Nightingale." It was Mira who spoke to her then, her cryptic words giving her a faint idea of her purpose inside the Sixer camp. Taking in her rapidly widening eyes, Mira let out a barking laugh.

"You always were fast on the uptake. So… ready to meet your patient?"

"You can go now Mira. I can handle this." Lucas snapped in a voice that was deep with annoyance. And to Skye's surprise, Mira turned to leave obediently, albeit with a frown darkening her features. She turned towards Lucas, who wordlessly gestured for her to follow him.

Ignoring the protestations of her tired body, she did just that, more curious than anything. Lucas paused at a doorway, which unlike most cabins in the Sixer camps she was familiar with had an actual door. Who could it possibly be behind that door that Lucas had taken the extreme measure of stealing a medic from right under his father's nose?

Lucas remained silent as he unlocked and opened the door, signaling for her to enter.

Disbelief coursed through her at the sight she was met with. A shuddering gasp escaped her as she clutched at Lucas's shirt in an effort to calm herself.

It couldn't be…

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><p>AN: Any guesses?

Please leave a review. =)


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